Ukraine protests: At least two dead as president Viktor Yanukovich meets opposition leaders

Three people have died in the latest series of clashes in Kiev (Reuters: Gleb Garanich)

7pm TV News NSW

Two people have died in clashes between police and protesters in Ukraine's capital Kiev, the first fatalities since protests began in November against the government's rejection of a planned treaty with the European Union in favour of support from Russia.

Protesters say the two men were shot dead by police snipers, but the government claims soldiers are not using live ammunition.

Authorities denied that a third protester, who fell from atop the Dynamo football stadium, had died.

Whatever the truth, the deaths are fuelling an already volatile situation in Kiev and violent clashes are continuing as people pour back into Independence Square for another mass demonstration in favour of closer ties with the European Union.

The latest violence escalated when police began dismantling a protest camp.

Prime minister Mykola Azarov denounced the protesters as "terrorists", his tough line appearing to foreshadow a police crackdown on protesters who massed anew in their hundreds.

However president Viktor Yanukovich, who has so far refused to make any concessions to the protesters, raised cautious expectations of a negotiated settlement, saying he wanted no bloodshed and agreed to meet with opposition leaders.

In a statement deploring the deaths and urging people not to heed the calls of "political radicals", Mr Yanukovich said: "I am against bloodshed, against the use of force, against inciting enmity and violence."

His website said the president and his aides had held talks with three opposition leaders - boxer-turned-politician Vitali Klitschko, former economy minister Arseny Yatsenyuk and far-right nationalist Oleh Tyahnibok.

Mr Yanukovich has rebuffed opposition demands for the dismissal of the government of prime minister Mykola Azarov and the prosecution of the interior minister for heavy-handed police tactics.

The meeting marked a small victory for the three leaders, who have been seeking Mr Yanukovich's direct participation in talks.

However, they said it failed to bring any concrete results.

Armoured vehicles brought in to move protesters

Tense times in Ukraine

November 21: Ukrainian authorities unexpectedly suspend talks on an Association Agreement with the EU in favour of closer economic relations with Russia, causing the pro-European opposition to call protests.

November 30: Riot police violently disperse a protest on Independence Square (Maidan) with dozens wounded. The opposition calls for president Viktor Yanukovych to step down and early elections, condemning harsh tactics.

December 1: A crowd of up to 500,000 protesters gather on the Maidan, with thousands setting up a camp of tents and building barricades.

December 17: Yanukovych travels to Russia and obtains a loan of $16.9 billion and a huge price cut for the gas it buys from Moscow.

December 25: Journalist Tetyana Chornovil, known for harshly critical articles of Yanukovych, is savagely beaten by unidentified attackers. The attack prompts the protests on the Maidan to grow.

January 10: Ex-interior minister Yuri Lutsenko, now in the opposition, is beaten up by baton-wielding police during clashes between protesters and police. Around 50,000 people protest over the next two days in reaction to the attack.

January 19: Around 200,000 people gather on Maidan two days after Ukraine passes laws curbing protests that lead to the protesters whistling and heckling the opposition leaders for the first time.

But it seemed unlikely they would be satisfied simply with a repetition of appeals from Mr Yanukovich to call off protesters, who have been in violent confrontation with the police since Sunday.

Even as the meeting began, black-helmeted riot police appeared to be gearing for a further attempt to push back radical protesters from a street leading to the main government building and parliament, the scene of bloody clashes.

A heavy armoured vehicle moved down the road followed by scores of police bearing shields, pushing back protesters under a curtain of smoke rising from burning tyres.

But the police operation stopped well short of Independence Square, crucible of the so-called Euro-Maidan protests where hundreds of anti-government demonstrators have been camped for the past two months.

"Terrorists from the Maidan (Independence Square) seized dozens of people and beat them. I am officially stating that these are criminals who must answer for their action," Mr Azarov told a cabinet meeting.

He accused opposition leaders of inciting "criminal action" by calling for anti-government protests, which he said destabilised the situation in Ukraine, a large former Soviet republic of 46 million people.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU could take action against Ukraine after reports of the deaths.